PHILANTHROPHY

05.17.132:15 PM ET

Steve Jobs’s Widow on Public Stage

Laurene Powell Jobs could be potent force in global issues.

After her husband Steve Jobs’s death from pancreatic cancer in October 2011, Laurene Powell Jobs is making her voice heard. With a net worth of $11.5 billion, she is in a position to significantly contribute to organizations as the world’s ninth-wealthiest woman. So far, she’s highlighted her agenda in global conservation, nutrition, and immigration. But some criticize Powell Jobs’s decision to not start a foundation in her husband’s name after his death. Instead, she has focused on education initiatives. She increased her pledge to Emerson Collective, the organization she created about a decade ago to make grants and investments in education initiatives. And she already is known for her organization College Track, which helps low-income students train for college.